A 15-minute football-inspired warm-up

Part 1 — Running, 6 minutes

• Straight-ahead jog, two lengths, easy.
• Hip-out and hip-in walks with controlled circles at the hip.
• Side shuffles facing a partner, both directions.
• Forward and backward skips.
• Two build-up runs at around 70 per cent, decelerating under control.

The purpose is temperature and range of motion, not fatigue. You should be able to talk throughout.

Part 2 — Strength, balance and control, 5 minutes

1. 1Plank: 3 × 20–30 seconds, hips level, ribs down.
2. 2Side plank: 3 × 20 seconds each side.
3. 3Nordic hamstring curl or a partner-assisted eccentric hamstring lower: 2 × 5 slow repetitions.
4. 4Single-leg balance: 30 seconds per leg, then repeat while passing a ball with a partner.
5. 5Squats and lateral hops: 15 controlled squats, then 15 hops per leg landing softly with the knee tracking over the toes.

Landing mechanics are the point of the hops. Soft, quiet landings with the knee over the toe — not collapsing inwards — is the movement most closely linked to fewer knee injuries.

Part 3 — Sport-specific, 4 minutes

• Three to four progressive sprints, finishing at close to full speed.
• Two or three cutting and change-of-direction movements at your own pace, then faster.
• Sport-specific skill at low intensity: passes, throws, shadow batting, footwork drills, service action.
• Finish within two or three minutes of the session starting so you do not cool down again.

Making it actually work

The evidence is clear that the benefit depends on doing it consistently and with good technique, not on doing it occasionally with sloppy form. Run it at the start of every session, at least twice a week, for a full season. Coaches should watch the strength and landing section rather than the running section, because that is where technique slips. If a movement causes pain rather than effort, stop and get it assessed.